Stara Zagora 909385 226025132 2008-07-16T14:20:42Z 91.121.152.63 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225928060 by [[Special:Contributions/71.175.117.222|71.175.117.222]] ([[User talk:71.175.117.222|talk]]) {{otheruses4|the Bulgarian city once known as Beroe||Beroe}} {{Infobox Settlement <!--more fields are available for this Infobox--See Template:Infobox Settlement--> |official_name = {{PAGENAME}} |subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] |subdivision_name = {{BUL}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Bulgaria|Provinces]]<br><small>(Oblast)</small> |timezone=[[Eastern European Time|EET]] |utc_offset=+2 |timezone_DST=[[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]] |utc_offset_DST=+3 |map_caption = Location of Stara Zagora| |pushpin_map =Bulgaria <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map --> |pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> |pushpin_map_caption =Location of Stara Zagora |pushpin_mapsize = |leader_title =Mayor |postal_code_type =[[List of postal codes in Bulgaria|Postal Code]]| native_name=Стара Загора| | subdivision_name1=Stara Zagora| image_shield=Stara-Zagora-coat-of-arms.svg| | population_total=162416|population_footnotes=<sup>[http://www.grao.bg/tna/tab02.txt]</sup>| |population_metro = 213444[http://www.eufunds.bg/docs/OPRD_29August_FINAL_Revised.pdf]| population_as_of=2007-09-14| elevation_m=196| postal_code=6000| area_code=042| latd=42|latm=26|lats=|latNS=N|longd=25|longm=39|longs=|longEW=E|leader_name=Svetlin Tanchev| }} '''Stara Zagora''' ({{lang-bg|Стара Загора}}) is the 5-th largest metro in [[Bulgaria]], and constitutes an important economic centre. Stara Zagora is known as the city of straight streets, [[linden tree]]s, and [[poets]]. According to the city`s [[chamber of commerce]], it is one of the oldest settlements in [[Europe]], being at least eight thousand years old. According to one unofficial study, Stara Zagora ranks second among the cities in Bulgaria by average salary.<ref>[http://www.karieri.bg/show/?storyid=312279 За търсещи работа - Новини - 880 лв. средна заплата в София - KARIERI.bg<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == Geography and climate == Stara Zagora is the administrative centre of its municipality and the [[Stara Zagora Province]]. It is located about {{km to mi|spell=Commonwealth|231}} away from [[Sofia]], near the [[Bedechka|Bedechka river]] in the historic region of [[Thrace]]. The population is about 162,400, metro - 213 444. The city is located in an area of transitional continental climate with considerable [[Mediterranean]] influence. The average yearly temperature is about {{C to F|spell=Commonwealth|13}}. == History == [[Image:43853069.P5185637.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Assumption of Mary Orthodox Church]] Stara Zagora is considered to be one of the oldest settlements in Bulgaria and [[Southeastern Europe]].{{Fact|date=May 2007}} It was founded by the [[Thracians]] under the name ''Beroe'' (meaning ''iron'') about [[6th century BCE|6th]]-[[5th century BCE]], with the [[Neolithic]] dwellings and the copper mine near the city being the oldest preserved ones in [[Europe]]. The area has been a mining region since [[ancient history|Antiquity]]. Under the [[Roman Empire]], the town was renamed to ''Augusta Trajana'' in honour of emperor [[Trajan]]. At the time of the [[Byzantine Empire]], it adopted the name ''Irinopolis'' after Byzantine empress [[Irene (empress)|Irene]]. The fortifications around the town were reconstructed because of fear of Bulgarian attacks, but Irinopolis and the whole Zagore region were reincorporated into [[Bulgaria]] in 717. The land was bestowed on [[Khan (title)|khan]] [[Tervel]] as a Byzantine gift in acknowledgement of the Bulgarian help to fight back the [[Arabs]] besieging [[Constantinople]]. The region was the first Bulgarian territorial gain south of [[Stara Planina]]. The town acquired the name ''Boruy''. In the year 1122 Stara Zagora (''Beroia'') was the site of a battle between Byzantine Emperor [[John II Komnenos]] and an invading [[Pecheneg]] army, the [[Battle of Beroia]]. The Pechenegs suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of John's Byzantine army, and many of the captives were settled as [[foederati]] within the Byzantine frontier. In 1028 the Bulgarians defeated the [[Latin Empire]] in the [[battle of Boruy]]. The [[Ottomans]] conquered Stara Zagora in 1371. A grade school was built in 1840 and the town's name was changed to ''Zheleznik'' ({{lang|bg|Железник}}; a [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] translation of ''Beroe'') in 1854 instead of the [[Turkish language|Turkish]] ''{{lang|tr|Eskizağra}}'', but was renamed once again to ''Stara Zagora'' in 1870. After the [[Liberation of Bulgaria]] from Ottoman rule in 1878, it became part of autonomous [[Eastern Rumelia]] before the two Bulgarian states finally merged in 1886 as a result of the [[Unification of Bulgaria]]. [[Image:The roman amphithe galleryfull.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The Roman Amphitheatre]] [[Image:Stara-zagora-streets-ngruev.JPG|right|thumb|250px|A typical street scene]] [[Image:TeatarGeoMilev.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Geo Milev Drama Theatre]] ===Historical population=== {| class=wikitable ! Year ! Population{{Fact|date=April 2007}} |- | align="center" | 1875 || align="center" | 23,000 |- | align="center" | 1884 || align="center" | 15,500 |- | align="center" | 1901–1913 ||align="center" | 27,000 |- | align="center" | 1934 ||align="center" | 34,000 |- | align="center" | 1940 ||align="center" | 40,000 |- | align="center" | 1956 ||align="center" | 56,000 |- | align="center" | 1965 ||align="center" | 87,000 |- | align="center" | 1968 ||align="center" | 100,000 |- | align="center" | 1975 ||align="center" | 122,000 |- | align="center" | 1985 ||align="center" | 157,000 |- | align="center" | 1992 ||align="center" | 162,000 |- | align="center" | 2002 ||align="center" | 164,000 |} ==Districts== [[Image:StaraZagora-districts.svg|350px|right|thumb|Districts of Stara Zagora: 1 - Supercenter; 2 - Central City Part; 3 - Chayka; 4 - Industrial Zone; 5 - Samara-3; 6 - Samara-2; 7 - Samara-1; 8 - Eastern Industrial Zone; 9 - Kolyu Ganchev; 10 - Zora; 11 - APK; 12 - Zagorka; 13 - Lozenets; 14 - Tri Chuchura - north; 15 - Tri Chuchura - center; 16 - Tri Chuchura - south; 17 - Kazanski; 18 - Zheleznik]] * APK (''АПК'' - named at former Industrial-agricultural complex) * Atyuren (''Атюрен'' - future dictrict of the city) * [[Bogomilovo]] (''Богомилово'' - former village of Bogomilovo) * Central City Part (includes Supercenter, Chayka & Zagorka) (''Централна градска част (Суперцентър, Чайка и Загорка)'' - Chayka - [[Sea-gull]], Zagorka - named at [[Zagorka]] brewery) * Chumleka (''Чумлека'') * [[Dabrava]] (''Дъбрава'' - former village of Dabrava) * Eastern Industrial Zone (''Източна индустриална зона'') * [[Hrishteni]] (''Хрищени'' - former village of Hrishteni) * Industrial Zone (''Индустриална Зона'') * Kazanski (''Казански'') * Kolyu Ganchev (''Колю Ганчев'' - named at famous bulgarian revolutionary) * Lozenets (''Лозенец'' - from ''лозе'' - [[vineyard]]) * Malka Vereya (''Малка Верея'' - Vereya - old name of the city, Malka - small) * Samara 1, 2 & 3- (''Самара 1, 2 и 3'' - named at sister city of [[Samara, Russia]]) * Studentski grad - (''Студентски град'' - Student town) * Tri Chuchura north, center & south - (''Три чучура север, център и юг'' - "Three spouts") * Zheleznik (small & big) (''Железник'' - named at former name of the city) * Zora (''Зора'' - Dawn) == Culture == === Landmarks === * The Antique Forum * Thracian Tomb * The Roman Baths * The [[Samara flag|Samarsko Zname]] Monument * Ayazmoto Park * Defenders of Stara Zagora Memorial Complex * Memorial House of [[Geo Milev]] * The South Gate of Augusta Trajana * The [[Opera House]] (built 1925) * [[Stara Zagora Transmitter]] with one of the few [[Blaw-Knox Tower]]s in Europe === Famous Natives === * [[Anna Tomowa-Sintow]], dramatic soprano opera singer * [[Vesselina Kasarova]], lyric mezzo soprano opera singer * Kiril Hristov, writer ==Trivia== * [[Beroe Hill]] on [[Livingston Island]], [[West Antarctica]] is named after this city, in its previous incarnation as Beroe. * One of the two lighting factories [[Svetlina_AD|Svetlina]] is situated here. == Notes == <references /> ==See also== * [[Stara Zagora Airport]] * [[Kalvacha Airport]] == External links == * [http://museum.starazagora.net/ Stara Zagora Regional museum of history] * [http://tour.starazagora.net/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 Stara Zagora Tourist Information Centre] * [http://www.szeda.bg Stara Zagora Economic Development Agency] * [http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/Stara_Zagora/Stara_Zagora Maps, Population, Info & Facts about cities and villages in Stara Zagora municipality] * [http://programata.bg/index.php?p=&c=14&l=2 Programata Stara Zagora — the free cultural guide of Stara Zagora] * [http://get.info.bg/visit/Dir.asp?d=0-13-Stara_Zagora Information and links about Stara Zagora] * [http://www.visitbulgaria.com/citydetails.php?id=63 Information from Visit Bulgaria] * [http://www.chambersz.com/econ2003/Munisip/StZ_en.htm Chamber of commerce] * [http://www.pbase.com/ngruev/starazagora Real Photos from Stara Zagora] {{Cities in Bulgaria}} {{Stara Zagora Province}} {{coor title dm|42|26|N|25|39|E|type:city}} [[Category:100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria]] [[Category:Cities and towns in Bulgaria]] [[Category:Stara Zagora Province]] [[ast:Stara Zagora]] [[bg:Стара Загора]] [[cs:Stara Zagora]] [[cu:Стара Загора]] [[de:Stara Sagora]] [[el:Στάρα Ζαγόρα]] [[es:Stara Zagora]] [[et:Stara Zagora]] [[fi:Stara Zagora]] [[fr:Stara Zagora]] [[hr:Stara Zagora]] [[it:Stara Zagora]] [[ja:スタラ・ザゴラ]] [[lt:Stara Zagora]] [[lv:Stara Zagora]] [[mk:Стара Загора]] [[nl:Stara Zagora (stad)]] [[nn:Stara Zagora]] [[pl:Stara Zagora]] [[pt:Stara Zagora]] [[ru:Стара-Загора]] [[sk:Stara Zagora]] [[sv:Stara Zagora]] [[tr:Eski Zağra]] [[uk:Стара Загора]] [[vo:Stara Zagora]]